This is how we ran a rotating dinner party for a bubble of three couples who met at an ante-natal class run by the council for home births when I was pregnant. (Running a party, all at home later in this post.)
A dinner party, I hear a voice enthuse. "Yes, I'd like to attend - so long as I don't have to cook!"
Another voice protests, "That's not fair."
A third voice placates them: "We can sort this out."
Tell the reluctant cook: 'Take a grapefruit for each couple. Cut a grapefruit in half at the hostess' s house with her knives? How difficult is that?"
The hostess can cut the grapefuit horizontally with a zig zag. Add half a glace cherry (from a bottle) in the middle. Serve in fine china. With a grapefruit spoon.
Grapefruit spoon with serrated tip. Photo from Wikipedia.
You could cook grapefruit and serve it with maple syrup and cinnamon. (Keep one back for those who prefer plain food or have allergies.)
How complicated should the menu be? We had a mix of people. One couple wanted to get out of the house but not have a lot of complicated dishes to prepare nor anything difficult to transport. Another couple, freed from morning sickness, but still unable to go out to restaurants often because of babysitting problems, wanted some decent food. The third couple weren't sure of their success at complicated dishes, but were willing to try.
A compromise was reached. The reluctant cooks were given simple to prepare dishes. The others could do what they liked to add interest to the menu, with recipes, sauces or garnishes.
Same Menu For Each Young Couple, Changed Locations
Our first dinner party was with a set menu decided by the hostess. She sent the menu to the other two couples. Each couple cooked an entire meal for two, two starters, two main courses, and two desserts. The hostess provided the venue, the table, the cloth, table mats, napkins, crockery, cutlery, water glasses. For example, starter of:
Starters: Grapefruit: avocado pear, ham and melon.
Main course: chicken and roast potatoes, beef casserole with rice, spaghetti bolognese.
Dessert: apple crumble, chocolate pot, fruit salad.
We did not bother with drinking glasses because we were not drinking. The women had been pregnant or were breastfeeding or dieting to lose weight after pregnancy, and tired from sleepless nights. The men were driving. Check if any hosts or guests are vegetarian, have allergies, or religious or health requirements.o
The big surprise was that although we all had the same menu, the results from each couple were entirely different. Firstly, they had different serving bowls if they brought the cold starters or hot main courses or cold desserts ready made in a bowl, or serving bowl.
Secondly, they had used slightly different ingredients. Different flours, different sugars, different quality or size of fruits and vegetables.
Different cooking times. Long, slow cook, griller, cooked in a fan oven.
Different preparation, stirred or whisked. Folded with a fork or mixed in a blender. Meat cubed, cut into thin slices, or bashed with a meat tendriser, finely ground.
Sugar, white or brown or powedered. Nuts such as almonds, whole on top, chopped or ground.
Different amounts of preparation time. Prepared on the day, or two days in advance which meant the food dried out and developed stronger flavour. Desserts decorated with sprigs of mint, silver balls, sprinkled with multi-coloured sugar 'hundreds and thousands', or paper parasols.
We usually gave two different version of the same dish to each couple. Not the one they had made, because they had usually already tasted because they had done a rehearsal of that earlier in the week, but one each person of the two other versions of the dish, so that the could share and try both other versions.
Our venues were in different areas of north west London, all within the hospital catchment area.
Estate Party Within Walking Distance
I told my next door neighbour about my antenatal dinner parties. She revealed that she still went to a rotating dinner party from a nearby estate where she had previously lived. This group was confined to people who lived within walking distance of each other, mostly in the same street, in the housing estate. It had started with two friends in the same street, spread to their friends, and grown to about eight couples, one of whom, my neighbours, then moved to a parallel street nearby.
If you are able to travel to make a group of six, at each event the host couple provided the main course. One of the other couples brought the starter. Another couple brought the dessert.
The host family provided water or other drinks on arrival. They also provided coffee or tea after the meal.
Move on to main course.
Own Food and Cutlery Variation
You can run another variation of this dinner by each bringing your own food and crockery and cutlery in a picnic box. You go to the toilet beofre leaving home. You limit drink at the destination. You stay no longer than two hours so you don't need the toilet.
Alternatively, the host divides the toilets, if they have a bathroom and separate toilet, or a bathroom with two sinks for hand washing. One is for visitors, the other for the host family.
One family I know moved house for a husband in a wheelchair to have a downstairs bedroom in a converted garage. A small downstairs room was converted into two tiny toilet and wash basin facilities.
This could be done under the stairs in the UK or Europe or the USA.
Garden Locations
In London, England, in October 2020, we just went into lockdown with you only allowed to meet in outdoor places. You can hold a garden party with a long table for six.
Invest in a gazebo and use the roof, but not the walls, so you are protected from the rain, but have freely moving air to protect against the spread of coronavirus. This might cost five hundred pounds. But if your family holiday travel is cancelled, you might instead invest your savings in this.
Sukkah Structure
One Jewish family I know had an awning used to help provide the structure for a sukkah for the autumn harvest celebration of sukkot which involved eating outdoors, in either a garden, or a balcony with a view of the sky overhead (until the temporary structure is built.
Angela in sukkah for sukkot.
Use outdoor heaters, or wear ski clothes to keep warm.
In Asia, such as Singapore, flats and condos often have a separate scullery for washing dishes, and maid's toilet, plus the main family bathroom and kitchen)
Babysitting Options
The host family had no need of a babysitter. The other couples had to find a granny or neighbour, bring their baby with them and keep it within sight, sleeping in a stroller.
Troubleshooting
1 Provide a map of your location, the address, email, and phone number of the hosts and other guests.
2 Check the time needed for any journey, the weather forecast, the latest on traffic.
3 Make sure all cars are full of petrol (Americans say gas) so nobody runs out of petrol on the way there or the way home.
4 Carry jump leads in case you are called to rescue a guest or need a link to get them to start your car.
5 Make sure all your family phones are charged. Carry with you the connectors to charge your phone in the car from the cigarette lighter. Note that in some countries it is now illegal to handle your phone or look at it when driving. The passenger can be in charge of the phones and directions. Instruct the passenger in advance on how to use the phone, answer a call, log in to or set the satnav.
6 Set up your second phone to watch your sleeping baby.
7 If you are in lockdown, you could do this with your rescue bubble, or your carers.
If you cannot travel at all, run an at home dinner party. You all make the same food and drink the same drink.
You form a Zoom group for a party. You can dress up in your party clothes, or dress down. Toast each other and wish each other good health, or say prayers, at the start of the meal. Go around the table with stories of good news or good memories. Serve the first course in each home. Discuss the recipes and cooking and drinks. Who eats healthy, has allergies. Best memories of family meals.
Have a break. Can't talk? Play soothing music. Allow each person to introduce one song, play a musical instrument, lead a sing-song, introduce a composer. Read a short story, or tell a joke. If you are in different countries, describe the food or customs of your country. All in the same place, describe where you used to live.
If food and drink are not the main attraction of the evening, you might like to appoint an entertainment host.
Finish with thanks to the hosts and guests, clearing the table, planning the dates of the next event, ensuring that travellers have a means of transport. Check that everybody reaches home safely.
On reaching home send thanks to the organizer or host.
If too late, send thanks and photos next morning.
Useful Websites
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Grapefruit-Melon-Spoons/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grapefruit
https://www.notenoughcinnamon.com/maple-syrup-cinnamon-baked-grapefruit/
About the Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. Please share links to your favourite posts.
See next post on eating outdoors.
No comments:
Post a Comment